I chose to continue badminton this year so that I could make progress in my playing and focus on certain skills. This year would be my third year playing badminton. I have come to truly love and appreciate the sport which motivates me to put my best into every single session. Previously, I was in the Girls U19 B team and also served as the Vice-Captain. Taking a leadership position in a team is something that at that point I had never tried before and after a season’s worth of experiencing the position, I realised it was something that I thoroughly enjoyed. It made the experience all the more enriching as the role encompassed designing and leading the warm-ups and also have the power to cultivate a team spirit-filled environment. I was also able to design the team hoodies along with our team captain which amplified the team spirit and motivation to play at our best.
The goals that I have this year are working towards making my footwork more precise, strengthen my defensive skills, and be more knowledgeable in terms of tactics and strategies. In more specificity, for footwork, I would like to always remember to come back to the centre and use the proper footwork going diagonally across the court. For defensive skills, this mainly revolves around blocking smashes in high frequency and quality. This includes not only getting it over the net but also having the ability to block and intentionally place the shuttle. In terms of tactics and strategies, being able to analyse my opponent, predict their movements and establish the best strategies for both my double and I to target their weaknesses.
I hope to use the opportunity of playing badminton not only to improve my skills but also, use it to maintain a more balanced lifestyle. The session, which runs for 2 hours a week, will encourage me to be mindful of the exercise I include in my schedule per week. This is because knowing that the badminton warm-ups and drills are demanding in terms of stamina, it makes me conscious of the fact that I need to consistently exercise throughout the week in order for me make the most out of each session.
This year, I hope to once again to make it to a team. I would like again to have a sense of a badminton community, being surrounded by people who are equally as interested in badminton as I am. I hope to once again have the privilege to feel apart of a team and have that support outside of school life. I think by continuing in East Badminton Club and consistently coming on a weekly basis will allow me to hone in on specific skills which would allow me to strengthen my overall gameplay.
